163 worshippers abducted during church service in Kaduna

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Suspected bandits have abducted about 163 worshippers during a church service in the Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

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The abduction occurred on Sunday.

The Chairperson of the c in Kajuru LGA, Enoch Kaura, confirmed the incident to PREMIUM TIMES during a telephone interview on Monday.

Mr Kaura stated that while 172 people were initially abducted, nine managed to escape shortly after the attack.

“The attack occurred while members were in the middle of the service. The bandits arrived in large numbers, blocked the church entrance, and forced the congregation into the bush,” Mr Kaura explained.

“It has been confirmed that 172 people were abducted, including men, women, and children. With nine individuals having escaped, 163 people remain in captivity,” he added.

Efforts to reach Mansir Hassan, the police spokesperson in Kaduna, were unsuccessful on Monday afternoon as his phone line remained unreachable.”

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In recent years, several mass abductions have been recorded in the area, with schools and rural churches raided by armed gangs.

These mass abductions are common in the area and often used by bandits as leverage to demand massive ransoms from the government or impoverished families.

Kajuru LGA shares land borders with Niger and Katsina States. The dense forest in the area provides cover for “bandit camps” where victims are held for ransom.